Halal is the Arabic word for “lawful” or “permitted”. It is a broad term covering what is allowed in the context of Islamic law but is often used in conjunction with the issue of how meat is dealt with. The opposite of halal is haram, meaning “forbidden”. Traditional halal meat is killed by hand and must be blessed by the slaughterman. Islam has strict laws on the proper method of slaughtering an animal. One, called dhabihah, requires a swift, deep incision with a sharp knife on the neck that cuts the jugular vein. For meat to be considered halal the animal must be alive and healthy before it is killed, and all the blood must be drained from the body.

Fast food giant Subway has removed ham and bacon from 185 stores and switched to halal meat in the UK after demands from its Muslim customers.

Fast food giant Subway has removed ham and bacon from almost 200 outlets and switched to halal meat alternatives in an attempt to please its Muslim customers. It has confirmed turkey ham and turkey rashers will be used instead in 185 of its stores, where all the meat will now be prepared according to halal rules. The chain, which has around 1,500 outlets across the UK, explained its decision by saying it had to balance animal welfare concerns with ‘the views of religious communities’.

Nearly 200 Subway branches across the UK and Ireland have cut out ham and bacon, selling only halal meat, in response to demand from their multicultural customers. Traditional halal slaughter sees animals have their throats slit before bleeding to death. But Subway stressed that the meat served in its sandwiches would come from animals that have been stunned first, a practice that aims to reduce any suffering.

In Arabic, the word halal means ‘permitted’ or ‘lawful’ and defines anything that is allowed or lawful according to the Qur’an. It is often used to indicate food – particularly meat – has been prepared in accordance with Muslim principles and techniques. Muslims are forbidden from eating any non-halal food and meat from pigs and Subway said customers can identify those stores selling halal food by the special ‘All meats are Halal’ sign, which must be displayed in participating branches.

In the halal-only branches, ham and bacon has been substituted for turkey ham and rashers. Many animal charities condemn halal slaughter as being cruel to animals. Traditionally in halal abattoirs, the throats of the animals are cut while they are fully conscious – an act many campaigners say is inhumane and needlessly cruel.

A Subway spokeswoman told MailOnline all halal meat served in the participating branches is from animals who were stunned prior to slaughter. She said: ‘The growing popularity of the Subway chain with the diverse multicultural population across the UK and Ireland means we have to balance the values of many religious communities with the overall aim of improving the health and welfare standards of animals.”

‘We put a programme into place in 2007 to ensure that the population demographic is taken into account when new store openings are considered in order that we meet consumer demand in each location.

‘All our suppliers comply with EU animal welfare legislation as a minimum and we require suppliers of halal products to adopt the stunning of animals prior to their slaughter.

‘These are situated on the menu panels, nutritional information and in the front window of the store.’

Animal campaigning charity PETA urged people to opt for a vegetarian diet to ensure they have the best interests of animals at heart.

A spokesman said: ‘At the best of times, meat is a product of a bloody and violent industry with no respect for other living beings who value their lives in the same way that we do and experience the same pain and terror that Subways’ customers would if they were killed for a sandwich.

‘Most religions, including Islam, preach kindness to animals, but words are one thing and practice another.

‘As the Dalai Lama said, “My religion is kindness”. And a diet that expresses kindness, is open to all religions and truly respects animal rights is a vegan one.

‘Subway-goers, no matter what their religion, can eat with a clear conscience by opting for the veggie patty, the veggie delight or, heaven forbid, a salad.’

Speaking about the general issue of halal slaughter, an RSPCA spokeswoman added: ‘Scientific research has clearly shown that slaughter of an animal without stunning can cause unnecessary suffering, and the RSPCA is opposed to the slaughter of any animal without first making it insensible to pain and distress.

‘At present, the only legal exemptions to stunning during slaughter exist for kosher and halal methods of slaughter, however, it is important to differentiate between ‘religious’ and ‘non-stun’ slaughter as around 90 per cent of all halal in the UK receives a stun before slaughter.

‘Our concern has nothing to do with the expression of religious belief but with the practice of killing by throat cutting without pre-stunning.

‘We believe that meat produced from animals stunned or not stunned before slaughter should be clearly labelled to allow consumer choice, and continue to press for changes in the law that would improve the welfare of all farm animals at the time of slaughter.’

All ham and bacon is replaced by turkey ham and turkey rashers and allmeat is prepared according to Islamic halal rules.

They can no longer call themselves diverse when they take away things and just cater to one specific group, just because they might or will be offended!!! These people came and moved to a country knowing the diversity in the country if they want things a certain way, then perhaps they should’ve stayed in their own country!!! They need to STOP moving and going into countries, demanding they change things they suit them, to be more like the places they left, why leave their country at all. Maybe it’s because most don’t and aren’t trying to ASSIMILATE with the country they’ve moved to. They’re trying to ELIMINATE and alter the country they’ve moved to!!! It’s not a MIGRATION or IMMIGRATION, but an INVASION!!!

Goodbye Subway!! Why are the demands of Muslims more important than the rest of your customers? We will get our sandwiches from someone else since our business is not important to you!

Alex D is a conservative journalist, who covers all issues of importance for conservatives. He brings attention and insight from what happens in the White House to the streets of American towns, because it all has an impact on our future, and the country left for our children. Exposing the truth is his ultimate goal, mixed with wit where it’s appropriate, and feels that journalism shouldn’t be censored. Join him & let’s spread the good word!

Alex D.

Alex D is a conservative journalist, who covers all issues of importance for conservatives. He brings attention and insight from what happens in the White House to the streets of American towns, because it all has an impact on our future, and the country left for our children. Exposing the truth is his ultimate goal, mixed with wit where it's appropriate, and feels that journalism shouldn't be censored. Join him & let's spread the good word!

To be halal, a cow must be turned over on it’s back, piled one against another so they can not get up. They are stuck between each other. Then their throats are slit. They slowly drown in their own blood. It is horrific and basically tortures thee animals to death. I will never eat halal meat. It is barbaric.

When Muslims move to non-Muslim countries, they demand tolerance for their every religious requirement, even when it impedes upon our own beliefs and freedoms. They pass up more than 50 Islamic countries in which they could freely practice Sharia law and eat whatever food is required by Islam, instead they flock to Western nations and demand we implement their laws and culture here, and provide whatever food is required by Islam… Instead of accusing these intolerant religious zealots of bigotry, the left condemns those of us who refuse to submit to Islam, which is not only unable to coexist with any other religion, culture, or law, it must take over and annihilate all others. A first step in attacking a host nation is Muslims will push for the introduction of halal (Clean by Islamic standards) food, thereby securing food preparation jobs only for Muslims. They will continually increase pressure on eateries and supermarket chains to feature halal in their stores or on their shelves along with threats for failure to comply. Muslims have discovered if they are denied even one of their endless demands, they can claim their deniers are racists and religious fanatics or worse, civil rights violators in order to pressure owners and the government to meet their demands.